A PENSIONER whose eyes burn when in contact with cigarette smoke has stepped up his campaign to stop people lighting up outside the hospital.
Smoking is not permitted in any part of the grounds at the Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital, but the trust which runs the site say the policy is "extremely hard to enforce".
Eighty-year-old Douglas Blackmore is now putting leaflets up around the hospital, warning people of the dangers when coming in and out of the hospital.
For Mr Blackmore, of Caenby Road, in Cleethorpes, visiting his wife in the hospital or going for a diabetes check-up is often a struggle.
Since the age of 16, he has suffered from blocked tear ducts, which means when he blinks there is no moisture created in his eyes.
His condition worsened when he joined the Army in 1951 for National Service.
During training, he said he was made to go through a tunnel full of tear gas without a mask and his eyes felt as if they were burning when he came out.
Mr Blackmore explained: "When you go in and out of the hospital a cloud of smoke greets you, I often see a handful of people out smoking at whatever time of day it is.
"It's not just bad for me, the second-hand smoke is bad for everyone.
"I came out one time at 11am and was greeted by smoke – and had to wait eight hours for my eyes to clear before I could drive home at 7pm.
"All I can do to help them clear is try to blink constantly and clean them."
Mr Blackmore wants to see a designated shelter for smokers away from the hospitals main entrance.
Nigel Myhill, director of facilities and information at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital in Scartho Road, said: "There are currently no actions in place to erect a smoking shelter on the site of Grimsby's Diana, Princess Of Wales hospital. Experience from other trusts has shown that these still do not work and the problem persists.
"We are aware that Mr Blackmore has concerns regarding his health, but it is down to the community to recognise we are a no-smoking trust.
"We have to rely on the good will of people to adhere to the no-smoking rule as it is extremely hard to enforce it over so many entry points.
"If people do want to smoke, we would ask them to do so once they have left our sites."Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
